Monday, January 6, 2014

Report opens door to seeds engineered to resist ingredient

The U.S. Department of Agriculture opened the door Friday to
commercial sales of corn and soybean seeds genetically engineered to
resist the weed killer 2,4-D, which is best known as an ingredient in
the Vietnam Warera herbicide Agent Orange. The U.S. military stopped
using Agent Orange in 1971, and it has not been produced since the
1970s.Scientists don't believe 2,4-D, which is legal and commonly
used by gardeners and some farmers, was responsible for the health
problems linked to Agent Orange.The USDA's Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service published a draft environmental impact
statement Friday as part of the process for potential deregulation of
the seeds, which can now be used only in tightly controlled field
trials.Deregulation would allow commercial development of the seeds and presumably lead to greater use of the herbicide.The USDA has oversight over the seeds, not the herbicide.The
public has 45 days to comment on its report. The Environmental
Protection Agency is conducting a separate review of 2,4-D, although it
previously found it safe to use.READ MORE: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/Report+opens+door+seeds+engineered+resist+ingredient/9348631/story.html